Computer and Information Research Scientists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California computer and information research scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $112,170 and $213,630, with a median of $159,100.
Computer and Information Research Scientists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $200,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 197 | $160,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 799 | $192,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 396 | $218,675 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 295 | $260,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Computer and Information Research Scientists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Research Scientist | 381 | $191,678 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Applied Scientist II | 231 | $190,000 |
| Google LLC | Research Scientist | 229 | $205,000 |
| Adobe Inc. | Machine Learning Engineer | 98 | $195,000 |
| NVIDIA Corporation | Research Scientist | 64 | $187,970 |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | Applied Scientist II | 62 | $171,750 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Applied Sciences | 27 | $213,000 |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | Applied Scientist II | 26 | $189,875 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Research Scientist | 22 | $245,444 |
| ByteDance Inc. | Research Scientist | 21 | $316,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Scientist at Google LLC$196,000Mountain ViewWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-727945
- Research Scientist at Praxis Intelligence Inc$205,000Los GatosWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-730652
- Machine Learning Researcher at MatX Inc.$201,094Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-730422
- Research Scientist at Intel Corporation$201,094Santa ClaraWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-727656
- Research Scientist at Google LLC$340,000Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-727934
- Research Scientist at Google LLC$200,000SunnyvaleWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730619
- Research Engineer at Google LLC$276,000Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-728268
- Research Scientist at Google LLC$223,000Mountain ViewWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728895
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Computer and Information Research Scientists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Computer and Information Research Scientists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,543 certified offers. The most common variant is Research Scientist at a median of $201,094.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Scientist | Meta Platforms, Inc | 751 | $201,094 |
| Applied Scientist | Amazon.com Services LLC | 336 | $190,000 |
| Research Engineer | Google LLC | 104 | $202,000 |
| Member of Technical Staff | OpenAI OpCo, LLC | 92 | $256,211 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Adobe Inc. | 83 | $200,000 |
| Research Scientist/Engineer | Adobe Inc. | 41 | $197,985 |
| Senior Researcher | Palo Alto Networks, Inc. | 28 | $196,000 |
| Engineer II, Machine Learning Software | Samsung Electronics America, Inc. | 28 | $191,922 |
| Applied Sciences | Microsoft Corporation | 24 | $218,675 |
| Software Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 22 | $191,461 |
| Applied Researcher | eBay Inc. | 17 | $198,600 |
| AI Research Scientist | Meta Platforms, Inc | 17 | $215,658 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Computer and Information Research Scientists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $201,867.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Meta Platforms, Inc | 1,262 | $201,867 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 279 | $191,922 |
| Professional services | OpenAI OpCo, LLC | 249 | $209,082 |
| Manufacturing | NVIDIA Corporation | 128 | $190,961 |
| Education | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 35 | $80,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Visa U.S.A. Inc. | 34 | $191,461 |
| Media and entertainment | Utopai Studios, Inc. | 6 | $210,000 |
| Healthcare | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | 3 | $98,925 |
| Energy and utilities | PowerFlex Solar, LLC | 2 | $147,657 |
| Nonprofit and civic | University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development | 1 | $135,190 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.6 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Judgment and Decision Making
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- 02
Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- 03
Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- 04
Maintain network hardware and software, direct network security measures, and monitor networks to ensure availability to system users.
- 05
Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- 06
Design computers and the software that runs them.
- 07
Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- 08
Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+19.9%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for computer and information research scientists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$218,420
- San Francisco$171,440
- Los Angeles$155,960
- Sacramento$139,210
- Riverside$137,330
- San Diego$121,530
Compare Computer and Information Research Scientists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Computer and Information Research Scientists in California is $159,100.
- How does California compare to the national median for Computer and Information Research Scientists?
- The California median is +8.4% versus the BLS national figure of $146,718.
- What is the salary range for Computer and Information Research Scientists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $88,920 and the 90th-percentile at $275,320, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Computer and Information Research Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 19.9% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Computer and Information Research Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.